WEIRD STUFF

Viagra leave man blind

A man suddenly went blind in one eye after taking Viagra.

The 32-year-old from Iran took a large dose of sildenafil -- the main ingredient in the erectile dysfunction pill -- and lost the sight in his right eye almost straight afterwards.

Despite the best efforts of medics, the damage was too extensive and he lost all vision in the eye; and doctors say it is the clearest evidence yet that taking Viagra harms the eyes.

Sildenafil increases blood flow to the penis by relaxing the blood vessels, but it is suspected that it has an adverse impact on other sensitive vessels in the body -- including those in the eyes.

The team at Farabi Eye Hospital in Tehran said: "Several serious retinal vascular accidents have been reported following sildenafil use, but the exact role of this medication is not clear.

"Since the patient was otherwise healthy without known risk factors for vascular disease ... and in addition, the close temporal relation between sildenafil intake and incidence of the disease, we speculated that the drug could play a causal role in this clinical scenario."

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Humming eases anxiety and tension

Scientists in India have discovered that making low sounds such as humming can make stress levels plummet.

The team at Gujarat University said: "By humming for a duration of at least 10 to 15 minutes twice a day, the individual gains several benefits."

Clinical psychologist Dr Easton Gaines added: "When you hum, your vocal muscles create these soothing vibrations that travel down your throat and chest, triggering a relaxation response.

"The vagus nerve is the star player on team chill, helping us recover from stressful moments by slowing our heart rate."

Dr Punit Ramrakha, a consultant heart specialist at Imperial College NHS Trust, explained that humming and singing are linked.

He said: "Hum and be healthy. Humans have sung together for thousands of years, and regular participation in group singing is associated with benefits across human health."

Coffee can transform sex life

Coffee, the beverage that is well-known for giving people an energy boost, and a new study has revealed that it can also do wonders for a person between the sheets.

The findings indicate that caffeine intake makes orgasms more intense and ramps up libido.

Responding to a TikTok video promoting coffee's sexual benefits, NHS medic Dr Raj Karan explained how the drink affects your body.

He explained: "At high doses, caffeine widens the blood vessels and increases blood flow.

"Arousal and orgasms are largely based on the amount of blood flowing to your crown jewels.

"The better your circulation, the more flow to your erectile tissue and, therefore, the more likely you are to reach a state of arousal, which sets the stage for a great orgasm."

However, the only in-depth research on the topic has been conducted on female rats, so it is not entirely certain that caffeine will have a similar impact on human genitalia.

Night owls make less money

New research has found a link between circadian rhythm --the body's internal clock -- and income levels to conclude that those who are more active in the evening earn four per cent less on average, compared to early risers.

Experts from the University of Oulu in Finland analysed data on 12,000 people and collected information on education, work experience and lifestyle choices.

They found that night owls have more "bad" characteristics, such as drinking more alcohol, smoking, and an unhealthy diet.

Dr Andrew Conlin, who worked on the study, said: "Evening chronotypes tend to accumulate less human, social and health capital.

"On average, accruing less work experience and making poorer choices regarding healthy lifestyle are associated with lower levels of income in middle age."